Can BT 4.0 supplant NFC? If BT 4.0 could “emulate” NFC, how sweet it would be. But NFC is RFID-based, so unless I’m missing something, this is a “all those wave ‘n pay terminals would have to change” scenario. Won’t happen overnight, that’s for sure.

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The Summer of AAPL is here. Enjoy it (responsibly) while it lasts.
AFB Night Owl Team™
Thanks, Steve.

I think there’s a greater chance for Apple to introduce a larger iPod touch (aka iPad mini) than a TV set in 2012. The content providers & creators aren’t desperate enough to risk their traditional revenue streams yet. The iPod product line, on the other hand, could use a little spark.

But timing is everything and Apple will release a new iOS device when it suits them best. Although the iPad remains king of the tablet world, does Apple perceive a threat from the rumored 7” Android tablets from Google, Amazon, Asus and others?

I don’t think such “tweener” tablets will really slow down iPad sales growth, but they will compete directly with the iPod touch. More importantly, they could energize the Android ecosystem.

So what’s been brewing in Apple’s secret skunkworks labs? 5” Retina or 7” iPod touch? A 7.85” non-Retina iPad mini? This year, next year or a few years down the line?

1. Apple HDTV ( the speculation flies, nothing tangible in Television per se, but we do have Retina MacBooks)
2. NFC (Near Field Communications) which year, who knows
3. iPad 3 accomplished
4. Mobile Me acceleration (—- THUD—Mobile Me is down. new version is the Cloud. Leaner in some aspected, gutted the iDisk and brought in Siri, iTunes Match and some iTunes storage)
5. Thunderbolt market acceleration ( no idea what the market thinks)
6. 4G (crickets)
7. WiMax (crickets)
8. more SSD Macs (MacBook Air and Pro’s)
9. iPod Classic 500 (crickets)
10. Apple Retail Oz lighting up China (except for Hong Kong, no new lights)
11. Tim Cook prominence is also brighter ( go Tim !)
12. Apple makes some strategic purchases (fingerprint sensor purchase moving forward)
13. The center of gravity between Apple and content providers shifts. Telecoms concerned. (continuing)
14. Business and governments continues shift to Apple products. At least one US state joins Maine as a prime customer. (no new states sign on in a huge way)
15. BrazilNuts hosts a party in Rio (mmmmm)
16. Apple buys key distribution rights to The Hobbit (mmm)
17. Smaller Apple stores in the US to move or expand (yes)
18. Music, Movie and Music Stores get a major facelift (not yet)
19. Trackpad prices fall (??)
20. Wireless recharging gets traction
21. iOS flash drives go as high as 256G (they do)
22. Kinect does not go unignored by Apple. (mmm)
23. iOS devices in cars (slow)
24. By now, most of the tech world has realized it has underestimated what Apple is doing with its data centers. (yes)
25. Some of Apple retail partners face cutoff if they don’t improve service.
(Best Buy feeling some pressure)